When you hear the words “field hockey,” what do you think? Do you think of the scene from Gossip Girl where Serena and Blair are fighting while playing field hockey in heels? Do you think of the rivalry between Spencer Hastings and Alison DiLaurentis in the Pretty Little Liars book? Or the sport you might’ve flipped over in some Summer Olympics? In the United States, unless you know someone who plays field hockey, it seems as if it’s a mythical sport. Let’s get down to learning about field hockey!
- What is field hockey?
Field hockey is a sport that is popular in Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Holland, Germany, England and South Africa. In all those countries, there are teams for both and men and women. In the United States, all the college division, field hockey teams (excluding club sports) and the national team are women. The sport consists of ten field positions and a goalie. It’s a fall sport and has the same season as soccer, volleyball and cross country.
2. What are the physical benefits of playing field hockey?
Just like soccer, lacrosse or football, field hockey is a cardio sport that involves lots of running. This sport involves lots of running to the field hockey ball (not a puck) and having strong hits that push the pull across the field. The game is very fun to play and it is good for losing weight, gaining endurance and improves breathing.
3. Where can I watch field hockey?
Every four years, you can watch the United States Field Hockey team in the Olympics. If you live near a university with a big sports program, there’s a high chance they have a field hockey team and you can go and support the team. Field hockey is one of the least supported teams in collegiate sports because women’s sports are not as supported as men’s, but also because of the lack of knowledge of the sport. But, if you are looking for a game to watch, you can look up the local universities and colleges in the area to find a game.
4. What’s the importance of supporting a field hockey team?
Since field hockey is a female sport in the United States, it’s very important to empower women to keep the sport going. Unlike most of the sports that women play, they are usually a variation of a predominately male sport (i.e soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and so on), but field hockey is a sport where, in the U.S., there isn’t a comparison. The sport brings a sense of friendship and sportsmanship by creating a team. This sport has been in the United States for years on end, yet people barely hear about it.
Field hockey is a sport that can promote health and wellness for boys and girls everywhere. As much as soccer, lacrosse, cross country, basketball and volleyball are promoted in the United States, field hockey is just as beneficial to the body and can bring even more of a sense of sportsmanship. Go watch a game, learn and promote this sport because it deserves recognition in America.
